Method of casting blooms of aluminum



Feb; 17, 1931. E. P. M cLuRE 1,792,545

METHOD OF CASTING BLOOMS 0F ALUMINUM Filed Nov. 1o. 192'. 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Feb. 17. 1931. E. P. MOCLURE 1,792,545

METHOD OF CASTING BLOOMS OF ALUMINUM Filed Ndv. 10, 192'. 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Patented Feb 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELMER I. MCCLURE, OFWESTERN SPRINGS, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ALUMINUM PRODUCTS COMPANY, ACORPORATION OF ILLINOIS METHOD OF'CASTING BLOOMS F ALUMINUM Applicationfiled November 10, 1927. Serial No. 232,236.

The invention relates to a method of casting blooms of aluminum andmetals of similar characteristics The blooms, so cast by my new methodof rocedure, and by the means herein fully to e disclosed, are used tobe subsequently rolled into sheets.

Greater care must be exercised in casting aluminum into blooms than anyother metal.

If the stream of metal from the furnace be allowed to pour directly intothe body of metal, a quantity of air will thus be entrapped in the bodyof molten metal by air bubbles thus formed and when the bloom, or

ingot, is thereafter rolled into sheets, the incarcerated air will formblisters in the sheets and render them unfit for manufacturing purposes.

Copper, lead, iron and the like are sulficiently heavy to express theentrapped air and leave a solid mass of metal. Aluminum has notsufficient difference in specific gravity to perform this function and,therefore, the aluminum metal must be poured into the mold in suchmanner that it will not carry any air with it or induce its entranceinto the liquid metal.

It is of much importance, also, that the aluminum metal shall be exposedto the atmosphere for as short periods of time as may be, from the timethe stream leaves the furnace until it is safely deposited into themolds, to prevent oxidation and to prevent granulation by chilling.

One of the objects of my invention is to pour the metal in a continuousuninterrupted stream into a plurality of successive molds withoutrepouring from ladles and the like. Anothef object is to provide a guidefor the flowing metal which it will follow from the furnace into themold. I

' A further object is to flow the metal along a vertical guide orconductor from the opening or mouth of the mold into the body of theliquid metal, so that the metal will not enter the body in a manner toproduce undulations of the body and air pockets therein by the impact ofthe flowing stream with the aforesaid body of metal.

-Another object is the provision of an apparatus by which my mode ofprocedure may advantageously be carried into eifeet.

Other objects, advantageous and benefits will hereinafter appear from aconsideration of the following description and accompanying drawingsforming a part hereof, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a furnace with a plurality of cars,each carrying a plurality of molds.

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view with parts broken away, of a portionof the structure of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially along lineIIIIII of Figure 1.

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of the trough, thru which themetal flows, taken substantially along line 1V1V of Figure In all theviews the same reference character indicates similar parts.

The necessity for the present invention has never been realized whencasting relatively heavy metals, for the reason that air cannot lindpermanent residence in a body of molten metal of that character, andfurthermore such metals do not possess the same affinity for the coldiron surface of the mold as manifested by the liquid aluminum.

In the drawin s 5 is afurnace of an character in which the metalaluminum is melted to be cast into blooms or ingots. (i is a trough thruwhich the melted aluminum flows and by which it is guided from thefurnace to the molds 7. The trough is divided into two relativelymovable sections 8 and 9.

The inner end of the section 9 is connected to a swinging support 10,adjustable by the turn buckle 11. This supports theouter end of section8 and the inner end of section 9 and permits some relative movement,whereby to raise the outer end of section 9 and to move it laterally tosome extent.

The outer end of section 9 is supported by the cable 12 andcounterbalancing weight 13.

The furnace 5 has a metal discharge opening 14 thru which the metalflows into the trough 6, when open. The effective opening may be variedby the tapered plug 15, which is secured to an elongated rod 16.

The cars 17 are movable along a pair of channel rails 1 818.

The stream of metal 20 is shown flowing in an unbroken stream to thebody of metal 19 I in the mold 7. It will be observed that the stream 20is discharged from section 9 of the trough directly into contact withthe vertical wall 21 of the mold 7. The vertical wall 21 serves also asa guide for the flowing metal,

as the latter will cleave to the wall in an unbroken stream on its Wayto the metal therebelow which it will enter in aquiform manner withoutcarrying any air, to enter the body of metal.

I am aware that many changes may be made, and numerous details ofconstruction may be varied through a wide range without departing fromthe principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purposelimiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by theprior art.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The method of casting blooms of alum- 25 inum, the said methodincluding guidedly conductin a narrow unagitated continuous stream 0molten aluminum substantially parallel to the bottom of a mold to apoint adjacent the upper end of a wall of the mold and then directingthe stream downwardly along the wall of the mold so as to avoidsplashing of the metal. a

2. The method of casting blooms of aluminum, the said method includingguidedly conducting a narrow unagitated continuous stream of moltenaluminum to a point adjacent and above the top of a mold and thendirecting the stream downwardlyalong the Wall of the mold in an unbrokenstream.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ELMER P. MCCLURE.

